1. Technical Field Text
The present invention relates to a device and method used for reinstatement of a micro-trench in pavement.
2. Background Information
Fibre broadband is a type of broadband that uses fibre optic cables to increase the speed of a broadband connection. An extensive network of fibre optic cables allows for fibre to the property (FTTP) or fibre to the home (FTTH) connections to make fibre broadband available to commercial and residential customers. To create such an extensive network, fibre optic cables or a duct of fibre optic cables may be installed in a road, such as a highway surface or pavement, or a footway, such as a sidewalk or pavement, that provides a protected structure for the fibre optic cables or the duct of fibre optic cables.
The installation of fibre optic cables in existing pavement requires creating or cutting a trench in the pavement, laying of the fibre optic cables, and then backfilling of the trench. In the past, open trench excavation has been used to create trenches in pavement to conduct, for example, sewer construction, repair or replacement. However, open trench excavation is time-consuming, expensive and disruptive to traffic, pedestrians and residents, especially when roads need to be closed to conduct the open trench excavation.
Micro-trench machines have been developed to create micro-trenches within pavement and lay the fibre optic cables within the micro-trenches. The micro-trenches are smaller in size than open trench excavation and less disruptive to traffic, pedestrians and residents. These micro-trench machines also create an efficient method of creating or cutting micro-trenches and laying the fibre optic cables within the micro-trenches. After the micro-trench has been created and the fibre optic cables have been laid in the trench, the micro-trench needs to be backfilled and the pavement repaired to its original level and condition. This process is known as reinstatement. In the past, reinstatement of a micro-trench has been conducted manually or using a machine that is unable to precisely and accurately pour the backfill material into the micro-trench and also have the pavement repaired to its original level and condition.
For example, with manual reinstatement, a person will position a duct, hose or similar tubing within the micro-trench and backfill material will flow from the duct into the micro-trench. The person will walk along the length of the micro-trench with the duct to backfill the micro-trench. This form of manual reinstatement of micro-trenches is inefficient and expensive. Specifically, a person has to walk every inch of pavement where a micro-trench has been created to backfill the micro-trench and level out the backfill material to restore the pavement to its original level and condition. This manual process requires significant manpower and elongates disruption to road users, communities and residents.
As the installation speed of fibre optic cables is essential to serve future customers, a need exists for devices and methods that provide fast and efficient deployment of a reinstatement material into the micro-trenches and restore the pavement to its original level and condition prior to micro-trenching.